Bowen: Eagles rookie Wentz makes uneven debut

CARSON WENTZ drifted in like an unexpected tease of a breeze on a muggy, sluggish night.

The heat index at kickoff was a nice, round 100 degrees. The sun had fled, but South Philly hadn't cooled off all that much when the Eagles' rookie quarterback took the field with a minute and 18 seconds left in the first half of Thursday's preseason opener, ultimately a 17-9 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Bucs.

When Wentz jogged into the huddle, wearing a white No. 11 jersey and a black pressure sleeve on his throwing arm, the Birds led, 14-6.

Rookie coach Doug Pederson had said Wentz would play the second half; perhaps Pederson, like the home crowd, got tired of watching the struggles of backup…